About

Back in 2008, my husband and I bought a house that we did not love. We went to see it in the dark and were in a hurry because a sweetheart of a neighbor was watching our 3 kids. The home, on Cook Street, belonged to a gentle and kind couple, Gus and Lucille, who were the most adorable little folks you'd ever want to become. Gus said they made the perfect pair, "She can't hear, and I can't see. We get along great." How could you not love that guy? They were sad about having to move to an assisted living facility. We fell for Gus and Lucille instead of the house, and a deal was made.

{What a beauty! Those manicured junipers, that dead grass,
the inviting security door...we must live here!}

The plain truth is that we'd been sharking the neighborhood for months, and this was the biggest house with the biggest yard we could afford. We pulled the trigger on the Cook Street house with mild enthusiasm. When we moved in, our kids ran around looking for the fireplace. Oops, we don't have one...forgot to notice on that dark night. But we've discovered that Santa fits just fine every year through the milk door in the kitchen, and life goes on.

The lifestyle of the fixer uppers started all over again. (We'd done this once before in Chicago.) I'd drop the kids off for their VERY short preschool session and quickly jump into my paint clothes to slap a coat of paint on something I hated and couldn't afford to replace. Spray paint became my BFF. I started a blog with my sister called "simple-e-design" where we could track our home improvement misadventures. We both had fun documenting our renovation woes.

{Mail delivery! Band aid anyone?}

In the meantime, my new neighbors and the first grade moms noticed my paint splotched arms, and a decorating business started to grow.  Pretty soon, I was the go to girl in the 'hood for paint recommendations and furniture rearranging. I made friends with a local furniture boutique owner, (lulu's furniture & decor in Denver--woohoo--such a great store!) and started working there to learn more about that end of the business. Every year, I had more decorating clients, and more great work experiences helping people figure out how to love their home, on their budget, staying true to their style.

{My peeps. Life is good on Cook Street.}

I still love to write about projects and the beautiful homes I see that inspire me. I take my job very seriously, but I keep a realistic perspective. There should be no decorating emergencies. However, I do understand the importance of enjoying your home and making it work for you. It's not fluffy. It's how you live, and that matters. I am thinking all the time about how my house could better meet the needs of my family. We still have A LOT to do here at the Cook Street house, but we've made some good progress. I'd be lost without a project anyway. How about you?

If you want to rekindle your passion for your home, I'd love to help.  Visit me at Cook Street Interiors.